Rue's Story
by Skylar Fray
Summary: This is Rue's death in her perspective in the 74th Hunger Games. Please tell me what you think and I hope you enjoy it!


Rue's Story

I wrap my arms securely around the tree trunk, my body nice and snug against the soft wood as I keep as still as I can so Cato, the massive boy from District 2, wanders past without noticing I'm right above his head. Of course I'm too high for him to catch me, but I know him and his alliance have many weapons as well as several other useful things I don't have much access to, like food. _Food_. I can't stop thinking about it. My stomach's constantly growling. I wonder if Katniss somehow managed to destroy their supply. Cato and his team wouldn't last very long after that, would they? I bet they didn't even know how to hunt. In fact, there are many things Katniss and I can do that none of them can. Sometimes I wonder if I'll actually make it to the end.

'_You may be big,'_ I say in my head, speaking to Cato, '_but not as fast and sneaky like me.'_

When the coast is clear, I lunge for the nearest tree, then the next, towards the clearing where I'd left my unused fire pit. I hope Katniss isn't worried about me. She should have heard the mockingjays whistling my tune by now.

I'm almost at the fire pit when I encounter a small clearing with a bush containing some red berries. I decide it's safe to scramble down the tree onto solid ground to further examine the fruit. My stomach gives another loud complain, begging me for food. I roll one of the small round berries between my finger and thumb curiously.

It's very quiet, in a nice peaceful way, but simultaneously, it puts me on high alert. My ears are perked at top sensitivity and I'm careful about making noise. In the distance, I hear a mockingjay whistle my tune. I bite my lip. Has Katniss heard it yet? I can't help but wonder if something's happened to her… but I throw away that thought. Of course nothing's happened. Katniss has a bow and her sheath of arrows, and she's almost as skilled with climbing trees and hiding as me. She's fast too, and besides, I would've seen her face in the sky last night.

I start and gasp when I suddenly hear a rustle behind me. Is it Katniss? It is an enemy? My breath catches and I spin around reflexively. I don't see anyone. I'm breathing heavily as if I'd just ran a mile, then shake my head. I try to assure myself it was an animal, or even just my imagination. My legs are weak and my heart is thundering from the unexpected shock, but my whining stomach brings me back down to earth.

"Nothing's going to happen. Just pick some berries and move on so the fire can be lit, and Katniss won't have to worry anymore," I mutter under my breath.

I decide to pick a handful of the berries for Katniss and I, for I didn't recognize them to be any of the poisonous kinds I know. I drop them into my pocket.

As I pass a particularly large tree, debating whether it's safe enough to stay on the ground, my breath gets taken away once again when I feel myself get swooped up off the ground. For a second I have no idea what's going on, but I know I'm in danger, even before I spot the boy from District 1, Marvel. A shrill scream escapes me. He's holding a long spear, and I'm helplessly entangled in a strong net that must've been attached to the tree, but has now dropped me onto the hard, cold ground. I thrash about, desperately trying to free myself from the trap. I know if I don't get saved I'm going to die. Marvel's approaching me with his pointy spear. I shriek the first thing that comes to my mouth.

"Katniss! KATNISS!"

Panic's rushing through my veins violently, and I feel on the verge of tears.

_'Don't let me die, don't let me die. Katniss, don't let me die!' _ I think in my head. Is she even nearby? Did she hear me?

"Rue! Rue! I'm coming!" I hear Katniss' terrified voice cry back. I take shattered breaths as I listen to Katniss running over, and I'm hoping she gets here in time before Marvel attacks.

Katniss breaks through the bushes and takes in the scene with a horrified expression.

"Katniss." I frantically maneuver my hand through one of the holes in the net and reach out to her.

'_Save me,' _I think. _'Hurry, pull me away from him before he-_

I feel a shock of excruciating pain trill through my body as Marvel's spear stabs into me and nestles itself into my stomach, snugger than I'd just been in that tree moments ago, safe and sound. Who would've known just three minutes later I'd be lying here with a spear buried in my flesh, making me wish I'd died instantly, even if it meant I wouldn't get a final goodbye from Katniss. I feel like sobbing because it hurts and I'm going to die slowly now, knowingly and unable to stop it. That's the worst way to die. But sobbing would make the pain much worse, so I only let a single tear escape from my left eye, which trails off the side of my face and drops softly into the grass. I'm curled up on my side, the most comfortable position I can possibly be in. I resist the urge to yank out the weapon; I can feel it's sharp, pointed end burrowed deep inside me, and I want this foreign object away from me. But I'm not stupid, I know pulling it out would only cause me to bleed out onto the grass. Even if it meant I could die faster, I don't want to gross out Katniss.

Katniss has killed Marvel and is aiming around the clearing alarmingly with her bow and arrow. "Are there more? Are there more?" she asks.

"No," I say, but I don't think she heard me. I repeat 'no' several times until she responds by letting down her weapon and carefully cutting me out of the net with a knife.

She's crouched down before me, terror and grief written across her face as she analyzes my injury. Her gray eyes are glistening with moisture, her mouth drawn in an agonized outline. I don't like this look on Katniss. I want to her smile, laugh, the lines and tense muscles of her face and body to relax. I wish I could reach out and hug her, but the only form of comfort I can possibly provide for her is to reach out my hand. She immediately clutches it tight, and I respond by holding it as securely as I can.

"You blew up the food?" I mean to say, but it comes out as a mere whisper. I need to know before I'm gone.

"Every last bit." Well, that's a relief. Maybe Katniss actually has a chance now! The careers can't get much further now with their food supply cut off. And now maybe Katniss will win some more sponsors. I have a little celebration in my head, but then my eyelids begin to droop.

"You have to win." I can hear the determination and desperation in my voice. I just can't afford to picture anyone else winning. That would mean Katniss was dead.

_'Katniss will not die'_ I say firmly in my head.

"I'm going to. Going to win for both of us now," she says sincerely, and she really sounds like she means it. It lifts my spirits a little.

A cannon goes off. Katniss looks up.

"Don't go," I say, afraid she's going to leave so Marvel can be retrieved. I can't even imagine being left lying here alone. I use almost all of my remaining energy to squeeze Katniss' hand.

"Course not. Staying right here." She then shifts closer to me and gently eases my head onto her lap. I feel her soft, trained fingers brush my hair behind my ear. The pain in my stomach is dulling, and I know I'm going. I think of my tune I'd just whistled minutes ago to let her know I was safe. Then I start thinking about the songs I used to always sing back in District 11, running the tunes through my head. I wonder what Katniss sounds like when she sings; I've never heard her singing voice before. I try to imagine it, and it sounds beautiful. I give her my one last wish.

"Sing," I say, very meekly. I hope she heard what I'd said.

There's a long pause, but I can't even guess what she's thinking because I can't see her face. Is she going to do it? The silence drags on, and I've just decided she mustn't have heard me when she suddenly gives a small choked sound, then starts to sing a lovely melody in a voice that's slightly rough from emotion, but still simply soothing and angelic.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

My head and vision begin to spin, and I stop fighting my heavy eyes. They shut gratefully. It feels nice. I'm all numb now, and the pain's all gone. I feel myself fading away, and I really don't want to leave Katniss, but there's nothing I can do now. She's stopped singing, and I plead in my head for her to continue as the distance between us grows greater by the second.

_'Don't stop, Katniss. I can still hear you, I'm still listening,' _I want to say. I try to squeeze her hand, but I'm too weak. I'm also so numb I can hardly locate where it is anymore, I can just feel the slightest sensation of Katniss holding it tight. _'Keep singing Katniss,' _I think. Then, as if she heard me, she continues.

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

Her voice is very far off now, and I strain to hear at least one last line.

_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning…_

What? What happens when it's morning?

And then I'm deaf as well as blind, and the last trace of feeling I have flows out of me. I feel nothing, and my last thought drops out of my consciousness.

For a few seconds I'm lying still and quiet, not breathing and unfeeling, no longer aware I'm still even in existence.

Then I'm suddenly being blinded by a flood of white light, and I feel myself being lifted into the air. Is that the hovercraft?

"Hello, Rue," a deep male voice says. "You're safe now. Safe and sound."


End file.
